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The phone is a remarkably complex, simple device,
and very rarely ever needs repairs, once you fix them. Dan/Panther

Author
Topic: The CRPF "Bad Packing" awards (Read 147672 times)

I have had the same experience lately. I bought a plastic 302 that came with handset on hook with one sheet of newspaper under it and one on top. Suprisingly it was unharmed! I also purchased a 354 from the same person and made it clear to him we were very lucky with the first one and he had better make sure this one was better packed, giving him explicit instructions on how to pack it. When it arrived it took me hours to unwrap it

I will give you the good seller side of this thread, as you know I was lucky enough to win a beautiful green North Galion. This is the email I sent the seller:

"Hi...I was lucky enough to win your auction, it is a wonderful phone. Bakelite is very fragile. Would you please separate the handset from the phone and wrap both in bubble wrap. Please secure the phone firmly in the middle of the box with newspaper so the phone and the separated handset can not move and bang each other. I do appreciate you packing it this way. I have received damaged phones in the past and do not mean to be telling you how to run your business. I am thrilled with this phone. Please let me know when you send it and furnish me the tracking number...many thanks....Doug"

Well, separate the handset was taken literally, she unscrewed the cap and disconnected the handset cord. REALLY! This phone and handset had enough bubble around it that I started to get frustrated trying to find my prize. This was a buyers dream, seller listened and I received a beautiful phone, INTACT!!...Doug

Well, separate the handset was taken literally, she unscrewed the cap and disconnected the handset cord

You're lucky, she didn't just cut the handset cord.

BTW, the GPO phone (the original subject of this post) was just reassembled a few minutes ago. I did my best to patch the cracks in the shell. The handset looks bad, but one of our members generously offered to sell me one of his spare NOS handsets. I hope to post some pictures once everything is settled. The sound quality from the transmitter is lousy. I don't know if this is just the way that the old GPO transmitters work, or if this one is just bad. I have tapped and shaken it and cleaned the contacts on the back, but it still sounds only marginally better than an old candlestick type transmitter. Also, I am looking for some GPO dial center cards.

Larry....when I first opened the box, I was betting on that the cord was cut. As it turns out, it wouldn't have been an issue as the insulation in flaking off and their is static. Its seen its last day. At least I could connect it real quickly to test functionality....Doug

There's also original cards turn up (usually in bulk) from time to time.

For the RX, try an old trick, carefully slide the diaphragm off , check the inside for any metal swarf, clean if it has, do the two sides of the diaphragm with WD-40, when wiped dry flip the side over and gently slide back on the magnets.

Might work 50% of the time.

« Last Edit: December 07, 2010, 05:48:39 PM by gpo706 »

Logged

"now this should take five minutes, where's me screwdriver went now..?"

WOW My condolences Dave.That is a shame. There were a couple of those at the Maitland show. I will try to recall who had them. I do recall they were priced fairly low but are not my cup of tea so I passed.

My condolences. Those Leich beehives are about the most fragile phones around. I would have gone through extreme lengths to pack it. I always wonder how those things were shipped from the factory so that they didn't arrive damaged.

Here is the text of the message I sent to the seller, and which was promptly ignored by same:

The Bakelite housing of this old Leich phone is brittle and EXTREMELY fragile, and it can easily be broken if not packed well. Trust me on this -- I have had similar Bakelite phones ruined in the past when the sellers didn't pack them securely. PLEASE use MULTIPLE LAYERS of bubble wrap (NOT crumbled or shredded paper), and wrap the handset separately so it can't rattle around and bang into the phone. Also, please use a box that is large enough to absorb the abuse it will get from the P.O. without hurting the contents, and fill any void spaces with additional packing material to keep things from rattling around.

Could I have said anything else that might have made a difference?

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Phoniac

I'm really sorry and I know how you must feel right now. I restore, sell and buy antique electric fans and they have got to be the hardest to pack. They weight up to 30lbs by themselves sometimes and with a brass cage and blade your talking about complete destruction when that weight starts moving. I've literally have gotten boxes with a ball of iron and brass in them. But I know how to pack them safely for their treacherous trip. But, I'll NEVER understand why someone can not pack a little ole phone in the proper size box with the proper packing material to get it to it's destination without harm. I think eBay should not let ANYONE sell something if they cant get it to you in the same condition it was when the customer bought it. If someone gets more then 2 damaged in shipping claims against him in a year, your out, over, kaput, outta here and never to return.Now, where's that bottle of Valium I had.

That sure is painful to look at. I have a few that look just like it. The crank should have been removed before packing but here it looks like the handset did it in. The handsets always seem to win that fight. I had one seller pack four Leich's in the same box that was only large enough to safely pack one phone in. It was a waste of four nice phones that lived a long time only to be destroyed by stupidity. The Leich phones are so fragile that I have heard of properly packed ones destroyed because the magneto broke away from the mount. I don't know how to prevent that one unless you disassemble the phone before packing it. I would help you out if I could but I'm actually looking for a few housings myself. Sometimes you will find just the ringer box on eBay.

I send a similar message about packing a phone before I pay. I also add a line "I will be happy to add $5.00 to cover additional shipping materials and will wait for revised invoice in case larger box is a little more to ship."I have thought about adding a threat of sorts, "If these instructions are not followed and I receive a damaged phone you will not be getting good feedback" but my wife has convinced me not to so far.